Gig 'em Aggies
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Gig ‘em Aggies is the universal hand gesture of all Texas A&M University current and former students as sign of affiliation.
[edit] History
Pinky Downs, Class of 1906, and a member of the Board of Regents from 1923 to 1933, is credited with creating the gig ‘em hand sign. At the 1930 Midnight Yell Practice before the football game with Texas Christian University, whose mascot is the Horned Frog, Downs shouted out, "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" Answering his own question, he replied, “Gig ‘em, Aggies!” while making a fist with his thumb extended. A “gig” is a spear-like tool used for hunting frogs. The gesture then became the "first" hand sign of the Southwest Conference.[1]
[edit] Alternate story
While Pinky Downs is universally credited with originating the gig 'em hand signal, the story of the origin varies by the teller. The alternate story is that one day Pinky was punishing two freshman cadets for some infraction. While watching the two freshman doing pushups a senior cadet walked by and said "Gig 'em Pinky," in this case a gig meaning a military demerit. Pinky then turned and gave the senior a thumbs up sign.[2]
